Pregnancy Info HOME

Oh, Evae! I'm so sorry this is still giving you trouble! Has your lc suggested using a shield to help him latch? My lo nurses with a shield because I'm too flat for him to latch. I'm drawn out enough now that he probably could if he was willing to work for it and wasn't so lazy! :o) About the fever...did your doc rule out mast_tis? (sp?) I would ask your lc about a shield...sorry I couldn't be more helpful. GL!

I'm sorry you're still having problems. We had latching problems as well as I never produced nearly enough milk. After a month of b___stfeeding 10 minutes each b___st, then supplementing with formula (about 20 minutes), then pumping with a hospital grade pump for 15 minutes for each feeding, I had reached my wit's end. I was basically spending a full hour out of every 3 feeding (and feeling quite bovine when hooked up to that horrible pump!). My doctor and the lactation consultants encouraged me to at least try to last as long as our daughter's due date (she was induced 3 weeks early) to see if that would help my supply. We were able to correct her latch after a few weeks of work, but my flow never increased enough that exclusively b___stfeeding would have ever been an option for us. It was a hard decision for me to make, but after a month I decided to stop b___stfeeding. My doctor knew how hard I was trying and how frustrated and exhausted I was and he told me something that really made it easier to accept my decision. He pointed out that our generation (I'm 30, btw) were mostly bottle fed. Breastfeeding wasn't very fashionable just one generation ago. I was disappointed, but somehow it was easier when I found out that I was bottle-fed as was all my siblings (my mom only tried with her first born but had too many problems, so didn't even try with the rest of us). I also decided (and my husband agreed), that having a well-fed baby with a happy and rested (or at least happier and more rested than before. lol) mom was better than what we were doing where I couldn't sleep for more than 90 minutes at a time. It took a while to accept this decision and I still get irked that I have to explain myself to others who think I didn't try hard enough or I'm just ignorant to the benefits of b___stfeeding or something, but our dd is now 4.5 months and I don't regret the decision in the least. She's a happy baby and I'm far happier now.

malica, i have been on the same schedule you just described. thing is... they think i am producing enough milk. I just can't make enough attempts to b___st feed to give the baby good practice because everytime he chomps on my nipple and i have to let it heal again. he just wont open his mouth wide enough and then just cries or falls asleep. Last night I couldn't get him off my nipple I thought it was going to fall off! he had such a hard grip. i would hate to feel defeated but i too, am at my wits end. maybe i am not trying hard enough, too selfish about my nipples getting destroyed. One last question for you ladies: If I were to go on formula only, I'm sure the baby will get what he needs. But as for me how would I lose my pregnancy belly weight? Actually how does that work? All this talk about b___stfeeding benefits for the mom in losing her belly weight, burning calories etc. What happens if they go the formula route? Will I be able to get my uterus back to size? Malica.. what is your experience and your moms since you both used formula?? My MIL said that the best way to give baby all the nutrients along with my health and weight going back to normal is to b___stfeed... so it is in my head that I will be defeated if I can't do it.

Kiersten: As for the Shield. I asked my LC about it. She said it works great for most and some moms won't live without it, but she kept discouraging me to use it that I should try to get him on the b___st or he may get used to the shield and then i have to try to transition again to the b___st. But hey... if the shield works then whats the big deal right?? What are your thoughts on the shield overall? is it really efficient and gives the baby enough milk? because i think i have a lazy baby too. he gives up quite easily and just wants to cry and scream.

Wow, sorry for the book. LO up and starved...gotta scoot!

Sounds like you're more than producing enough milk -- I never got painfully engorged, so it was pretty clear I wasn't producing as much as others. As messy as it is, toss down a towel and sleep topless for a night. At about the 10-14 day mark my nipples were raw and scabbed up. Sitting in wet nursing pads all day (no matter how often I changed them) did not help the situation at all. I did have a couple of days where I would literally squeal when she latched on. As for the weight, I can't help you there. I get weighed once a year at the doctor's office and really don't think of it otherwise. (Well, except the before/after birth where I lost 22lbs in 24 hours, which is just neat to know). I have no idea where I am with losing the weight; my pre-pregnancy jeans fit, although I doubt I'm back to where I was before. I'm looking forward to the spring and summer when it's easier to get out (I'm up in Canada, and the snow banks at the bottom of our drive way are currently about 4 1/2 ft tall). Many people who are b___stfeeding do have increased appet_tes though -- so it's not as if it's not a struggle for b___stfeeding moms too. It's really not that different.

Thanks for all of the input. The baby has been able to be b___stfed. The latching part is fine now. I just need to get him to stay on longer without sleeping through it all the time. Boy! its been a journey. I was thinking about stopping with b___stfeeding at 10 months. But I may just do it sooner. is there a minimum amount of time to b___stfeed that is ideal??